You're going to lose the ability to play online. Especially if your kids have a hold of the console on the regular. They may update something on the dashboard unwittingly, sending a bad packet of info unwittingly.
Any installed NSPs would be like a bulls-eye to your console. SX OS in and of itself alone has led to bans, so there's no safety here unless you wipe everything everytime you do anything. Considering your general unfamiliarity with the scene, I don't feel confident in you being able to somehow bury all traces well or at all. Frankly.
If you don't want your kids to suddenly lose access, then don't hack it. That's really the ONLY solution until emuNAND is released in the future at some point.
You're going to lose the ability to play online. Especially if your kids have a hold of the console on the regular. They may update something on the dashboard unwittingly, sending a bad packet of info unwittingly.
Any installed NSPs would be like a bulls-eye to your console. SX OS in and of itself alone has led to bans, so there's no safety here unless you wipe everything everytime you do anything. Considering your general unfamiliarity with the scene, I don't feel confident in you being able to somehow bury all traces well or at all. Frankly.
If you don't want your kids to suddenly lose access, then don't hack it. That's really the ONLY solution until emuNAND is released in the future at some point.
Online and CFW/SX OS are not compatible, it's just a matter of when, not if OP's kids console will be banned from online play, or even being able to update games or firmware directly from Nintendo.
I would seriously consider sticking with stock FW for now as there is a chance you may ban the console. Nintendo are getting pretty tough with bans now and your kids probably won't thank you when they can't play online anymore.
Some people are having more luck than others in avoiding bans but I would fully expect a ban using any form of CFW, that way there are no surprises.
I would seriously consider sticking with stock FW for now as there is a chance you may ban the console. Nintendo are getting pretty tough with bans now and your kids probably won't thank you when they can't play online anymore.
Some people are having more luck than others in avoiding bans but I would fully expect a ban using any form of CFW, that way there are no surprises.
Online and CFW/SX OS are not compatible, it's just a matter of when, not if OP's kids console will be banned from online play, or even being able to update games or firmware directly from Nintendo.
I understand the risk. This is why I invested into the SX Pro. I will keep the console in flight mode when running SX Pro and reboot it to OFW when the kids want to play online.
Technically I am still missing some info: do I need a regular SD card or micro SD card to dump the console Nand with Hekate? I have not looked thoroughly at the console itself but I could not see a SD port at first sight.
I am following this tutorial (in French): https://www.customprotocol.com/underground/switch-tuto-dumper-la-nand-de-sa-console-avec-hekate/
Once the Nand is dumped I will proceed with the SX Pro setup.
Thanks again for your patience helping a dumb fool.
I understand the risk. This is why I invested into the SX Pro. I will keep the console in flight mode when running SX Pro and reboot it to OFW when the kids want to play online.
Technically I am still missing some info: do I need a regular SD card or micro SD card to dump the console Nand with Hekate? I have not looked thoroughly at the console itself but I could not see a SD port at first sight.
I am following this tutorial (in French): https://www.customprotocol.com/underground/switch-tuto-dumper-la-nand-de-sa-console-avec-hekate/
Once the Nand is dumped I will proceed with the SX Pro setup.
Thanks again for your patience helping a dumb fool.
That's not the issue, when your in CFW it logs everything you do and that will be sent to Nintendo when the Switch goes online in OFW. The only real solution is to get 2 Switches. What you are planning on doing WILL get that Switch banned. And your kids will NOT be happy.
That's not the issue, when your in CFW it logs everything you do and that will be sent to Nintendo when the Switch goes online in OFW. The only real solution is to get 2 Switches. What you are planning on doing WILL get that Switch banned. And your kids will NOT be happy.
When that Switch gets banned, and believe me it will there is NOTHING you can do online whatsoever. Wait till you get that 2nd Switch, and do a lot more research in the meantime, and use the SX Pro on that one. Think of how much money you've already put into the current Switch, you're going to flush that all down the drain which I'm sure is pretty close to or more than the cost of a used/new Switch.
For one, you seem to have been given incomplete information. A NAND backup CAN help prevent bans, BUT only if used correctly. To be precise:
you must make the NAND backup BEFORE any modifications/CFW, with all WiFi settings deleted
you must NEVER go online until you restore your NAND backup
Also what matters imo is continuity, as people have been banned even for just clearing their logs.
I've outlined a sample scenario here (you can click the link in the quote to go to the thread for more context):
A new log was made by your Switch last month (dated Aug 31)
Switch sends log to Nintendo, Nintendo records last log as dated Aug 31.
You made a NAND backup yesterday (Sep 2)
Latest log stored in NAND backup is dated Aug 31
then you go online today (Sep 3) in OFW to "download eShop games"
while online, your Switch makes a new log (dated Sep 3)
Switch sends log to Nintendo, Nintendo records last log as dated Sep 3.
You restore your NAND tomorrow
Your Switch will suddenly report to Nintendo that the latest log it has is dated Aug 31.
Big N realizes the Sep 3 log went missing, and logs CANNOT be deleted without hacking your Switch.
You MIGHT be flagged then. (Disclaimer: this is not how it works exactly, I don't know the details/actual internals of logging, this is just for illustration purposes)
Hence the SAFEST practice is to ALWAYS follow these steps IN ORDER:
delete your WiFi settings
make NAND backup
if you EVER want to go online, even in OFW, restore NAND backup first
if you want to use CFW, you need to redo steps 1-3, i.e. make a NEW NAND backup
And of course, you can get banned because of your logs.
Some homebrew and CFW can generate logs that Nintendo can easily recognize as unauthorized software running on the Switch, and ban you for that.
Then if you install any NSP games, you will add a forged ticket to your ticketblob (which is a dead giveaway that you have pirated a game), and there is no currently known way to delete tickets from the ticketblob while still keeping the ticketblob valid (except via restoring your NAND), so you won't be "safe" even if you delete all the pirated NSP games and boot back into OFW (unless you restore your NAND first).
Downloaded XCIs have nulled game certs, which can technically get logged, and then those logs could be sent when you boot back into OFW. Some people say they've been safe with XCIs, some inject working game certs from a real cart, but Nintendo can EASILY tell the cert is for the wrong game (as game certs contain that data). It's all a crapshoot, really.
The ONLY way to really be safe, other than not hacking your Switch, is to
(1) delete all your WiFi settings,
(2) make a NAND backup before any modifications,
(3) do your CFW/homebrew thing, THEN
(4) restore your NAND backup after.
And whenever you want to use CFW/homebrew again, to start ALL OVER again with (1) and do ALL 4 steps.
Taking note, making a NAND backup can take well over an hour, same with restoring, which you'd have to do EVERY TIME if you want to avoid a ban.
For one, you seem to have been given incomplete information. A NAND backup CAN help prevent bans, BUT only if used correctly. To be precise:
you must make the NAND backup BEFORE any modifications/CFW, with all WiFi settings deleted
you must NEVER go online until you restore your NAND backup
Also what matters imo is continuity, as people have been banned even for just clearing their logs.
I've outlined a sample scenario here (you can click the link in the quote to go to the thread for more context):
A new log was made by your Switch last month (dated Aug 31)
Switch sends log to Nintendo, Nintendo records last log as dated Aug 31.
You made a NAND backup yesterday (Sep 2)
Latest log stored in NAND backup is dated Aug 31
then you go online today (Sep 3) in OFW to "download eShop games"
while online, your Switch makes a new log (dated Aug 31)
Switch sends log to Nintendo, Nintendo records last log as dated Sep 3.
You restore your NAND tomorrow
Your Switch will suddenly report to Nintendo that the latest log it has is dated Aug 31.
Big N realizes the Sep 3 log went missing, and logs CANNOT be deleted without hacking your Switch.
You MIGHT be flagged then. (Disclaimer: this is not how it works exactly, I don't know the details/actual internals of logging, this is just for illustration purposes)
Hence the SAFEST practice is to ALWAYS follow these steps IN ORDER:
delete your WiFi settings
make NAND backup
if you EVER want to go online, even in OFW, restore NAND backup first
if you want to use CFW, you need to redo steps 1-3, i.e. make a NEW NAND backup
And of course, you can get banned because of your logs.
Some homebrew and CFW can generate logs that Nintendo can easily recognize as unauthorized software running on the Switch, and ban you for that.
Then if you install any NSP games, you will add a forged ticket to your ticketblob (which is a dead giveaway that you have pirated a game), and there is no currently known way to delete tickets from the ticketblob while still keeping the ticketblob valid (except via restoring your NAND), so you won't be "safe" even if you delete all the pirated NSP games and boot back into OFW (unless you restore your NAND first).
Downloaded XCIs have nulled game certs, which can technically get logged, and then those logs could be sent when you boot back into OFW. Some people say they've been safe with XCIs, some inject working game certs from a real cart, but Nintendo can EASILY tell the cert is for the wrong game (as game certs contain that data). It's all a crapshoot, really.
The ONLY way to really be safe, other than not hacking your Switch, is to
(1) delete all your WiFi settings,
(2) make a NAND backup before any modifications,
(3) do your CFW/homebrew thing, THEN
(4) restore your NAND backup after.
And whenever you want to use CFW/homebrew again, to start ALL OVER again with (1) and do ALL 4 steps.
Taking note, making a NAND backup can take well over an hour, same with restoring, which you'd have to do EVERY TIME if you want to avoid a ban.
Thanks, very interesting even for a newb like me.
You guys are right for something, neither my daughter nor my youngest boy would forgive me if they could not play onine anymore (especially since we buy most/pretty much all Nintendo own-made games)
I have started looking at a used console here in France but the price diff between a used one and a brand new one is fairly similar...way too expensive.
I will way a bit then to do whatever needs to be done but I'm afraid the SX Pro I bought will no longer be functionnal if my kids ever update the console.
In the meantime I wish people would take the time to guide me with the few questions I had (slow learning curve for overcaring daddy)
You guys are right for something, neither my daughter nor my youngest boy would forgive me if they could not play onine anymore (especially since we buy most/pretty much all Nintendo own-made games)
Then put the SX Pro in a drawer until you get that 2nd Switch, Team Xecuter already supports 6.0.0 before Nintendo has even released it. They aren't going anywhere. Just leave the Switch alone for now, even RCM booting for backing up the NAND could be logged and sent to Nintendo when the kids go online, it's just not worth what you've already invested. Take the time before you get a 2nd Switch to thoroughly research everything, and we'll be here to help you when you get it.
All right. I found an alternative solution to start this learning curve... A friend of mine (old fart too) has a NSW and he's actually never connected it to the Internet and will probably never do. He does not even have an account.
He's OK if I do it on his console and I will have him use our SX Pro until I am able to get another console for my kids.
Something strange though, when I look at his serial number on the box, it looks like a Japanese made console (XAJ40035....) but he's bought it in France at a local convenience store. If I understand the chart I read, it should be OK to install on his console.
Please confirm it is, as I don't want to have to buy yet another console if I screw up.
Then I will definitely need your help to dump his Nand with hekate and finally install SX Pro.
If the screenshots in that tutorial are accurate, it seems it comes with hekate 2.3... which is quite old, and it seems the NAND backup verification code had bugs and was fixed several times (based on the changelog):
I'd suggest getting your files directly from the source (i.e. the sticky thread in this forum)
It's pretty straight-forward imo, I never used a guide.
I just downloaded hekate, injected it into a Switch in RCM, and chose to backup: BOOT0, BOOT1, SYS, and RawNAND.
I also backed up my biskeys (using a different payload: biskeydump), which is also not in that tutorial.
As for SX pro usage, the only thing you might need a guide for is the license activation (which I advise doing offline).
I think the SX Pro manual on the official SX site, at https://sx.xecuter.com/ is good enough.
And it comes in 17 different languages.
If the screenshots in that tutorial are accurate, it seems it comes with hekate 2.3... which is quite old, and it seems the NAND backup verification code had bugs and was fixed several times (based on the changelog):
I'd suggest getting your files directly from the source (i.e. the sticky thread in this forum)
It's pretty straight-forward imo, I never used a guide.
I just downloaded hekate, injected it into a Switch in RCM, and chose to backup: BOOT0, BOOT1, SYS, and RawNAND.
I also backed up my biskeys (using a different payload: biskeydump), which is also not in that tutorial.
As for SX pro usage, the only thing you might need a guide for is the license activation (which I advise doing offline).
I think the SX Pro manual on the official SX site, at https://sx.xecuter.com/ is good enough.
And it comes in 17 different languages.
And I'm gonna feel even dumber... but what sticky thread are you talking about. I can only see 2 of them and none of them seem to have to do with hekate.
I search and found https://github.com/CTCaer/hekate but I am afraid this looks all greek to me.
Click Releases.
Download hekate_ctcaer_4.0.zip
Extract it to your SD card, so that you have hekate_ctcaer_4.0.bin in the root of your SD card.
Stick it in the Switch, and follow the SX pro manual up to page 3.
OK, got rid of the kids for about an hour. Time to start.
Just to make sure I'm good, I have formatted the usd card in extfat.
My friend's console is running 4.0.1 ofw.
In case it needs to be updated by a game cart, my kids have quite a bunch of them. Not sure I should update my friend console before dumping its nand though. Please advise.
[Edit]: I have inserted the usd card into the console but the system wants to update. Should I do this through my network (I need to set it up on his console) or can I do it with a game cart ?
[Edit]: I have inserted the usd card into the console but the system wants to update. Should I do this through my network (I need to set it up on his console) or can I do it with a game cart ?
It wants to grab the exFAT update (which is required for most SDXC cards i.e. most cards 64 GB and above)
If you don't care about preserving your fuses/downgrading, I suggest doing it now, before doing any CFW/SX OS things, so you won't ever have to worry about it again.
Well that was easier than I expected. Guess I was worrying way too much.
Backing up the Nand was long but pretty straightforward thanks to you guys help.
Installing the SX Pro was like a walk in the park.
Guess my friend will very much like the thingy and have a hard time giving it back when I get to buy a used console.
One question remains though, how do you plug the console with the SX Pro into the docking station to display games on TV?
Seemingly out of nowhere a PC port for Pokemon Platinum has surfaced online, bundled alongside the source code for those interested in building and developing it for...
With very little in the way of announcement, Valve has today increased the price of the Steam Deck but some fairly considerable margins. Both of the available models...
Nintendo's expected Summer showcase is here, offering up plenty of new announcements and exciting reveals. Let's see what they have in store in the latest Nintendo...
Continuing with the great news of Pokémon Platinum getting a native unofficial PC port just a few days ago, today, yet another classic title from the franchise has...
The latest in a growing number of native PC ports, Paper Mario ReCut got its first pre-release build earlier this week. Based on the N64 recompilation toolchain, the...
When you talk about 3DS emulation, most people would jump to Citra. As the defacto choice since its first release it's seen tremendous success, and even after its...
What once seemed like a far off dream, and after many, many community restarts throughout the years, the elusive Mother 1 / EarthBound Beginnings Remake, which is a...
A whole hour of PlayStation content is on the way, thanks to the latest State of Play showcase. Headlining the stream will be Marvel's Wolverine, alongside a...
For the first time in 13 years, the Call of Duty series will again return to Nintendo's consoles. Set to launch on the 23rd of October, the latest release, Modern...
Back in April we covered the ROM hacking efforts to add fifth-generation animated sprites to third generation Pokemon games. It remains a thoroughly impressive...
With very little in the way of announcement, Valve has today increased the price of the Steam Deck but some fairly considerable margins. Both of the available models...
Nintendo's expected Summer showcase is here, offering up plenty of new announcements and exciting reveals. Let's see what they have in store in the latest Nintendo...
Seemingly out of nowhere a PC port for Pokemon Platinum has surfaced online, bundled alongside the source code for those interested in building and developing it for...
With rumours circulating about a Nintendo Direct in the coming days and weeks, fans are left speculating and hoping as to what might be included. At the centre of all...
The latest in a growing number of native PC ports, Paper Mario ReCut got its first pre-release build earlier this week. Based on the N64 recompilation toolchain, the...
A whole hour of PlayStation content is on the way, thanks to the latest State of Play showcase. Headlining the stream will be Marvel's Wolverine, alongside a...
After much speculation and rumour, the fabled Nintendo Direct is upon us. Set to go live tomorrow, the 9th of June, at 3pm in the UK, it'll feature 50 minutes of...
For the first time in 13 years, the Call of Duty series will again return to Nintendo's consoles. Set to launch on the 23rd of October, the latest release, Modern...
Following an investigation over misleading commercial practices, today Nintendo has been imposed a fine of 35 million euros related to the controller malfunctions...
Continuing with the great news of Pokémon Platinum getting a native unofficial PC port just a few days ago, today, yet another classic title from the franchise has...
